Karen Rubins was the Comics
Artist in Residence at the V&A
museum, London, between
July and December 2009, and
is a multiple award-winning
creator of comics and manga.
Her work includes
Dark
(self-
published), and
Urban Beasts
(Itch). Her story
Tsuchigumo
was published in the
Mammoth
Book of Best New Manga 2
(Constable and Robinson).
She loves myths and legends,
history, and science fiction, and
is a lifelong comics reader and
creator.
Karen Rubins
Karen Rubins 107
JOB:05-25382/25610 Title:RP-1000 Ineas By 100 Manga Artists
#175 Dtp:204 Page:107
108 1,000 Tips by 100 Manga Artists
291 Who are your favorite illustrators? are you
trying to folloW in their footsteps? I think it’s good
to take inspiration from your favorite creators
(mine include Wendy Pini, Hiroaki Samura,
Rumiko Takahashi), but the only way to get
ahead is to make your own footsteps! Don’t try to
follow someone else.
292 W
hat does your Work desk look like?
W
hat can We come across? My desk is normally
overflowing with sketchbooks, reference books,
paper and pens, and a selection of markers.
I have an iMac and a Wacom tablet right in
the middle of it. It’s hardly ever tidy while I’m
working on a project!
293 W
hat are your favorite tools or draWing
programs, and Why? I love to use blue mechanical
pencils, brush pens or Rotring art pens and
fineliners. Pitt artist pens are my absolute
favorite brush pens as they have so much
variation and a really good drawing texture.
294 W
hat do you like about manga? What does
m
anga have that european or american comics don’t?
I love comics from all over the world, but I think
what manga has is a real feeling of being inside
the characters, rather than watching the action
from afar.
295 hoW do you make your draWings come to life? I
have a lot of diverse influences – from different types
of comics and different media. I don’t follow the manga
aesthetic slavishly, which helps make my work unique.
But all artists are unique in their own way!
JOB:05-25382/25610 Title:RP-1000 Ineas By 100 Manga Artists
#175 Dtp:204 Page:108
Karen Rubins 109
296 What advice Would you give to a novice
illustrator trying to make a name for himself?
Entering competitions can be a great way to get
yourself known. My advice is to not be shy talking
about yourself and your work, and learn to take
constructive criticism.
297 d
o you feel the need to better yourself When
it comes to your Work? to What extent? I always
feel as though I need to improve, but also to
experiment. It’s only by trying new things that
progression really happens. I try not to compare
my work with other artists’, but it’s hard!
298 W
hat has changed about your style of
draWing since you began? My style is always
changing. It depends on the theme, genre and
atmosphere of the story I’m working on. Of
course there’s something in it that’s always
recognisably mine (hopefully!)
299 m
anga: is it art? It is as much art as any
medium. Like film or novels, some is art, some
isn’t. If it’s creative and shows something new
and talks to people – it’s art!
300 W
hat is the most important lesson you have
learned that you Would like to pass on to others?
Don’t try to be anyone else – in terms of style or
career progression; find your own way of doing
things. Work hard, study, and be lucky!
JOB:05-25382/25610 Title:RP-1000 Ineas By 100 Manga Artists
#175 Dtp:204 Page:109
110 1,000 Tips by 100 Manga Artists
305 What differentiates you from manga’s other
illustrators? I suppose what differentiates me from
other artists is that I can’t seem to stick to one
sort of style or medium! I have a certain style that
I know people would recognize as my work, but I
always like to try something new. At the end of the
day I draw what I feel like drawing.
301 Who are your favorite illustrators? are
you trying to folloW in their footsteps? There
are many artists I favor but Josephine Wall is
an artist I look at for inspiration. She creates
such fantastical paintings that include all the
elements I enjoy drawing: flowers, long hair and
lots of color!
302 W
hat does your Work desk look like? What
can We come across? I don’t have my own desk,
so depending on what I’m doing I sit and draw
anywhere that is comfortable. I suppose my
laptop is my work desk as I do most things on it:
listening to music whilst working on art projects,
writing scripts for my comics, browsing the net...
303 W
hat are your favorite tools or draWing
programs, and Why? I try to use a variety of
tools because I tend to get bored of using
just one medium. I’m most comfortable with
Photoshop, but I like to use Copic markers
sometimes.
Mother and Child
was created using
a combination of Copics and PS as I couldn’t
decide what medium to use!
304 W
hat do you like about manga? What does
m
anga have that european or american comics don’t?
I enjoy the dynamic panels and compositions in
manga, as well as the exaggerated expressions
and humor. When I visualize my pages and
characters, I cannot imagine them in any other
form but manga.
JOB:05-25382/25610 Title:RP-1000 Ineas By 100 Manga Artists
#175 Dtp:204 Page:110
Karen Yumi Lusted 111
306 What advice Would you give to a novice
illustrator trying to make a name for himself? You
need to think realistically but not pesimistically.
Don’t expect something to land at your feet
tomorrow, it may happen but chances are it
won’t. Work hard towards your goal because by
the end of it, you will feel you have deserved the
reward.
307 W
hat has changed about your style of
draWing since you began? At the beginning, I would
try and imitate my favorite artists and get quite
annoyed when my work would not reach their
standards. Over the years I have accepted that
their style is theirs and I have to develop my own.
I have allowed my style to grow to what you see
now.
308 W
hy is manga so popular in the Western
World? I think its because it covers a wide range
or styles, genres, themes and ages that it can
appeal to almost anyone and everyone. Manga
is extremely accessible. Anyone can draw it, as
long as you have paper, a pen or pencil and an
idea.
309 W
hat good habits should a comic
illustrator have? You need self-motivation, and
good organizational skills would help. I think it is
also important that you take some time off from
your work; you will come back with an open mind
and see things that you may want to change or
improve. So plan ahead and schedule in those
breaks!
310 W
hat is the greatest acknoWledgement you
could hope to achieve for your Work? When I got
one of my stories printed as a book, some people
who had read it would come to me and say that
they enjoyed it, and felt inspired to draw their
own. It really touches my heart to hear such nice
comments and I hope I can inspire more people
with my future works.
JOB:05-25382/25610 Title:RP-1000 Ineas By 100 Manga Artists
#175 Dtp:204 Page:111
..................Content has been hidden....................
You can't read the all page of ebook, please click here login for view all page.